Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has sharply criticized the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for his involvement in the upcoming local government elections, expressing frustration at what he described as “nonsense” from the police.
Governor Fubara made these remarks early Friday morning after rushing to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office in Port Harcourt following reports that police officers, accompanied by some miscreants, had attempted to take control of the premises at 1 a.m., ahead of the elections scheduled for Saturday, October 5.
Fubara, visibly upset, condemned the police’s interference, insisting that the elections would proceed as planned. After inspecting the RSIEC office to ensure the situation was under control, the governor stated, “We came here this morning after hearing that some officers from the Nigeria Police were attempting to take over the premises of RSIEC. I came personally to understand why this would happen.”
He further criticized the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DC Operations), who allegedly ordered the withdrawal of officers already stationed at the RSIEC office, remarking that the state had endured “enough nonsense” from the police force.
Addressing the ongoing legal dispute, Fubara emphasized that the court’s ruling did not prohibit the election. “The judgment simply said, ‘Don’t provide the voters’ register,’ but that has nothing to do with stopping the election,” he clarified.
The governor questioned the relationship between the Inspector General of Police and certain powerful individuals in the state, suggesting it was “beyond the normal professional relationship.”
Referring to a recent judgment by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Fubara expressed frustration, stating, “Did that judgment say no election should hold? It only said the police shouldn’t provide security. We don’t need their security – we can handle it ourselves, just like it was done in Anambra State.”
Fubara ended his address with a strong message to the police and the people of Rivers State: “This election must hold. The results will be declared, and the elected officials will be sworn in. Enough is enough.”
As of the time of reporting, the police had not responded to the governor’s accusations.
